Minnesota’s 8th Part Of The National Spotlight Tonight

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) — To say there’s a big race in northern Minnesota would be an understatement. Nationally, a number of eyes are on Minnesota’s 8th congressional district showdown between Democrat Joe Radinovich and Republican Pete Stauber.

At Bay View Elementary School in Duluth, the election judge says turn out is at 50 percent — while a typical midterm brings in 30 to 35 percent. Everyone WCCO’s Jeff Wagner talked with says a big reason for that increase is that 8th district race.

Voters are weighing their options between Stauber, a former Duluth police officer and current St. Louis County Commissioner, and Radinovich, a former Minnesota state representative and campaign manager for Rick Nolan, who held the 8th district until his retirement.

This is a district that has generally voted blue for decades, but in the 2016 presidential election it went red for President Donald Trump.

That’s led some pundits to believe this is a battleground district that could flip in favor of Stauber. But Radinovich has strong endorsements from top politicians in this area, including the mayors of Duluth and Hibbing.

Jeff Wagner

Jeff Wagner joined the WCCO-TV team in November 2016 as a general assignment reporter. Although he's new to Minnesota, he's called the Midwest home...More fromJeff Wagner